Method and apparatus for providing an audible calling party identification for a call waiting service

ABSTRACT

The present invention enables users of packet-switched network services, e.g., VoIP network services, to hear a very gentle whispering tone that quietly conveys the identity of the calling party when they are engaged in conversation and to receive a call-waiting signal. The tone is audible only to the called party but does not mute the ongoing conversation path. This enables subscribed users to hear their ongoing conversation while receiving the whispering tone.

The present invention relates generally to communication networks and,more particularly, to a method and apparatus for enabling audiblecalling party identification for call waiting services inpacket-switched networks, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Users of telephony services frequently subscribe to call waitingservices. The displays for the calling party identification datatransmitted in signaling message associated with call waiting servicesare either on a base station or in the handset that the users areholding to their ear. These situations forces users to either have toremove the handset from their ears or stay close to the base station inorder to see who is calling when they are engaged in a conversation.

Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for enabling audiblecalling party identification for call waiting services inpacket-switched networks, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)networks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention enables users ofpacket-switched networks services, e.g., VoIP network services, toreceive a call-waiting signal. Specifically, the present inventionenables users to hear a very gentle whispering tone that quietly conveysthe identity of the calling party when they are engaged in conversation.The tone is audible only to the called party but does not mute theongoing conversation path. This enables subscribed users to hear theirongoing conversation while receiving the whispering tone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teaching of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)network related to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of enabling audible calling partyidentification for call waiting services in a VoIP network of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for enabling audible callingparty identification for call waiting services in a VoIP network of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a high level block diagram of a general purposecomputer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To better understand the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates anexample network, e.g., a packet-switched network such as a VoIP networkrelated to the present invention. The VoIP network may comprise varioustypes of customer endpoint devices connected via various types of accessnetworks to a carrier (a service provider) VoIP core infrastructure overan Internet Protocol/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) based corebackbone network. Broadly defined, a VoIP network is a network that iscapable of carrying voice signals as packetized data over an IP network.An IP network is broadly defined as a network that uses InternetProtocol to exchange data packets.

The customer endpoint devices can be either Time Division Multiplexing(TDM) based or IP based. TDM based customer endpoint devices 122, 123,134, and 135 typically comprise of TDM phones or Private Branch Exchange(PBX). IP based customer endpoint devices 144 and 145 typically compriseIP phones or PBX. The Terminal Adaptors (TA) 132 and 133 are used toprovide necessary interworking functions between TDM customer endpointdevices, such as analog phones, and packet based access networktechnologies, such as Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) or Cable broadbandaccess networks. TDM based customer endpoint devices access VoIPservices by using either a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 120,121 or a broadband access network via a TA 132 or 133. IP based customerendpoint devices access VoIP services by using a Local Area Network(LAN) 140 and 141 with a VoIP gateway or router 142 and 143,respectively.

The access networks can be either TDM or packet based. A TDM PSTN 120 or121 is used to support TDM customer endpoint devices connected viatraditional phone lines. A packet based access network, such as FrameRelay, ATM, Ethernet or IP, is used to support IP based customerendpoint devices via a customer LAN, e.g., 140 with a VoIP gateway androuter 142. A packet based access network 130 or 131, such as DSL orCable, when used together with a TA 132 or 133, is used to support TDMbased customer endpoint devices.

The core VoIP infrastructure comprises of several key VoIP components,such the Border Element (BE) 112 and 113, the Call Control Element (CCE)111, and VoIP related servers 114. The BE resides at the edge of theVoIP core infrastructure and interfaces with customers endpoints overvarious types of access networks. A BE is typically implemented as aMedia Gateway and performs signaling, media control, security, and calladmission control and related functions. The CCE resides within the VoIPinfrastructure and is connected to the BEs using the Session InitiationProtocol (SIP) over the underlying IP/MPLS based core backbone network110. The CCE is typically implemented as a Media Gateway Controller andperforms network wide call control related functions as well asinteracts with the appropriate VoIP service related servers whennecessary. The CCE functions as a SIP back-to-back user agent and is asignaling endpoint for all call legs between all BEs and the CCE. TheCCE may need to interact with various VoIP related servers in order tocomplete a call that require certain service specific features, e.g.translation of an E.164 voice network address into an IP address.

For calls that originate or terminate in a different carrier, they canbe handled through the PSTN 120 and 121 or the Partner IP Carrier 160interconnections. For originating or terminating TDM calls, they can behandled via existing PSTN interconnections to the other carrier. Fororiginating or terminating VoIP calls, they can be handled via thePartner IP carrier interface 160 to the other carrier.

In order to illustrate how the different components operate to support aVoIP call, the following call scenario is used to illustrate how a VoIPcall is setup between two customer endpoints. A customer using IP device144 at location A places a call to another customer at location Z usingTDM device 135. During the call setup, a setup signaling message is sentfrom IP device 144, through the LAN 140, the VoIP Gateway/Router 142,and the associated packet based access network, to BE 112. BE 112 willthen send a setup signaling message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIPis used, to CCE 111. CCE 111 looks at the called party information andqueries the necessary VoIP service related server 114 to obtain theinformation to complete this call. If BE 113 needs to be involved incompleting the call; CCE 111 sends another call setup message, such as aSIP-INVITE message if SIP is used, to BE 113. Upon receiving the callsetup message, BE 113 forwards the call setup message, via broadbandnetwork 131, to TA 133. TA 133 then identifies the appropriate TDMdevice 135 and rings that device. Once the call is accepted at locationZ by the called party, a call acknowledgement signaling message, such asa SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, is sent in the reverse direction backto the CCE 111. After the CCE 111 receives the call acknowledgementmessage, it will then send a call acknowledgement signaling message,such as a SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, toward the calling party. Inaddition, the CCE 111 also provides the necessary information of thecall to both BE 112 and BE 113 so that the call data exchange canproceed directly between BE 112 and BE 113. The call signaling path 150and the call data path 151 are illustratively shown in FIG. 1. Note thatthe call signaling path and the call data path are different becauseonce a call has been setup up between two endpoints, the CCE 111 doesnot need to be in the data path for actual direct data exchange.

Note that a customer in location A using any endpoint device type withits associated access network type can communicate with another customerin location Z using any endpoint device type with its associated networktype as well. For instance, a customer at location A using IP customerendpoint device 144 with packet based access network 140 can callanother customer at location Z using TDM endpoint device 123 with PSTNaccess network 121. The BEs 112 and 113 are responsible for thenecessary signaling protocol translation, e.g., SS7 to and from SIP, andmedia format conversion, such as TDM voice format to and from IP basedpacket voice format.

Many users of telephony services frequently subscribe to call waitingservices. The displays for the calling party identification datatransmitted in signaling message associated with call waiting servicesare either on a base station or in the handset that the users areholding to their ear. These forces users to either have to remove thehandset from their ears or stay close to the base station in order tosee who is calling when they are engaged in a conversation.

To address this criticality, the present invention enables users of VoIPnetwork services to hear a very gentle whispering tone that quietlyconveys the identity of the calling party when they are engaged inconversation and receive a call-waiting signal. The tone is audible onlyto the called party but does not mute the ongoing conversation path.This enables subscribed users to hear their ongoing conversation whilereceiving the whispering tone.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of providing an audible calling partyidentification for call waiting services in a packet-switched network,e.g., a VoIP network. In FIG. 2, user 222 and user 231 are engaged in aconversation using media path 240 while user 221 makes a call to user231. CCE 211 receives a call setup message 241 via BE 213 from theendpoint device used by user 221. CCE 211 communicates with ApplicationServer (AS) 214, flow 242, to find out that user 231, the called party,has subscribed to the call waiting service feature. In addition, CCE 211also finds out that user 231 has subscribed to the audible calling partyidentification service feature. CCE 211 then sends a call setup message243 to the called party endpoint through BE 212. The call setup messageindicates to BE 212 that BE 212 needs to send a normal call waitingtone, such as a beep, to the called party endpoint using flow 244. Inaddition, BE 212 also bridges the existing media path 240 with anaudible whispering tone, action 245, conveying the identity of thecalling party identification. Then the called party, user 231, candecide whether to put user 222 on hold to answer the call from user 221.The subsequent call setup procedures will proceed the same way as anormal phone call.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for enabling audible callingparty identification for call waiting services in a packet-switchednetwork, e.g., a VoIP network. Method 300 starts in step 305 andproceeds to step 310.

In step 310, the method receives a call setup message destined to acalled endpoint already engaged in an ongoing conversation. In step 320,the method checks if the called endpoint has subscribed to the callwaiting service feature. If the called endpoint has subscribed to thecall waiting service feature, the method proceeds to step 330;otherwise, the method proceeds to step 380. In step 330, the methodchecks if the called endpoint has subscribed to the audible callingparty identification service feature. If the called endpoint hassubscribed to the audible calling party identification service feature,the method proceeds to step 340; otherwise, the method proceeds to step370. In step 340, the method sends a signaling message conveying anormal call waiting tone and an audible calling party identificationtoward the called party endpoint. In one embodiment, the network mayemploy a text to speech application and/or system to generate theaudible calling party identification. In step 350, the BE that isassociated with the called party endpoint will forward the normal callwaiting tone to the called party endpoint and bridges the audiblecalling party identification onto the existing media path in thedirection towards the called party endpoint. The audible calling partyidentification is conveyed via a whispering tone or a low volume toneand will not disrupt on-going conversation on the existing media path.The audible calling party identification includes the calling partyphone number and/or the calling party name, if available. The audiblecalling party identification can only be heard by the called party. Instep 360, the method continues the call setup procedures as in the caseof a normal phone call. In step 370, the method sends a normal callwaiting tone and calling party identification to the called partyendpoint. In step 380, the method sends the calling party a busy signalor to the voice mail box of the called party. The method ends in step390.

FIG. 4 depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computersuitable for use in performing the functions described herein. Asdepicted in FIG. 4, the system 400 comprises a processor element 402(e.g., a CPU), a memory 404, e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/orread only memory (ROM), an audible calling party identification module405, and various input/output devices 406 (e.g., storage devices,including but not limited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard diskdrive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, adisplay, a speech synthesizer, an output port, and a user input device(such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)).

It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented insoftware and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., usingapplication specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purposecomputer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, thepresent audible calling party identification module or process 405 canbe loaded into memory 404 and executed by processor 402 to implement thefunctions as discussed above. As such, the present audible calling partyidentification process 405 (including associated data structures) of thepresent invention can be stored on a computer readable medium orcarrier, e.g., RAM memory, magnetic or optical drive or diskette and thelike.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example only, and notlimitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment shouldnot be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

1. A method for providing a call waiting service in a communicationnetwork, comprising: receiving a call setup message destined to anendpoint of a called party, where said endpoint of said called party isengaged in an on-going call; determining whether said called party isregistered to receive an audible calling party identification; sendingsaid audible calling party identification to said endpoint of saidcalled party if said called party is registered to receive said audiblecalling party identification, wherein said sending comprises bridgingsaid audible calling party identification onto an existing media path ofsaid ongoing call; and sending a call waiting tone to said endpoint ofsaid called party prior to said audible calling party identification. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is a Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP) network.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid call setup message is received by a call control element (CCE). 4.The method of claim 1, wherein said audible calling party identificationis bridged by a border element (BE) associated with said endpoint ofsaid called party.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said audiblecalling party identification comprises at least one of: a phone numberof said calling party, and a name identification of said calling party.6. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality ofinstructions, the plurality of instructions including instructionswhich, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform thesteps of a method for providing a call waiting service in acommunication network, comprising: receiving a call setup messagedestined to an endpoint of a called party, where said endpoint of saidcalled party is engaged in an on-going call; determining whether saidcalled party is registered to receive an audible calling partyidentification; sending said audible calling party identification tosaid endpoint of said called party if said called party is registered toreceive said audible calling party identification, wherein said sendingcomprises bridging said audible calling party identification onto anexisting media path of said ongoing call; and sending a call waitingtone to said endpoint of said called party prior to said audible callingparty identification.
 7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6,wherein said communication network is a Voice over Internet Protocol(VoIP) network.
 8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein saidcall setup message is received by a call control element (CCE).
 9. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said audible calling partyidentification is bridged by a border element (BE) associated with saidendpoint of said called party.
 10. The computer-readable medium of claim6, wherein said audible calling party identification comprises at leastone of: a phone number of said calling party, and a name identificationof said calling party.
 11. A system for providing a call waiting servicein a communication network, comprising: means for receiving a call setupmessage destined to an endpoint of a called party, where said endpointof said called party is engaged in an on-going call; means fordetermining whether said called party is registered to receive anaudible calling party identification; means for sending said audiblecalling party identification to said endpoint of said called party ifsaid called party is registered to receive said audible calling partyidentification, wherein said sending means for sending said audiblecalling party identification comprises means for bridging said audiblecalling party identification onto an existing media path of said ongoingcall; and means for sending a call waiting tone to said endpoint of saidcalled party prior to said audible calling party identification.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein said communication network is a Voice overInternet Protocol (VoIP) network.
 13. The system of claim 11, whereinsaid call setup message is received by a call control element (CCE). 14.The system of claim 11, wherein said audible calling partyidentification is bridged by a border element (BE) associated with saidendpoint of said called party.